Method and device for signature verification

• US 4,581,482 A
• Filed: 06/28/1984
• Issued: 04/08/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Esselte Security Systems AB
• Original Assignee: Esselte Security Systems AB
• Inventors: Rothfjell, Rolf E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHREYER, STAFFORD
• Application Number:
  US06/625,526
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18, 178/19, 178/20, 235/462, 235/472, 382/3, 382/13
• US Class Current: 178/18.01
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/35 by means of a handwritten signature

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of signature verification and is characterized in that an electric pulse train individual for each person in question is generated in that said person is allowed to move a so-called reading pencil over a patterned background comprising dark and light portions, and that such a pulse train generated on a certain occasion is compared by means of a computer or the like to pulse trains generated earlier by said person and stored in said computer.

According to a preferred embodiment, said patterned background is a line code (1) consisting of parallel dark lines (11) separated by lighter lines or areas (10).

Claims

1. A method of signature verification comprising:

A. generating a plurality of first electric pulse trains individual to a signature of a given person by said person repeatedly moving a reading device over a patterned background comprising dark and light portions, in the configuration of said signature;

B. comparing said first pulse trains and selecting similar ones of said first pulse trains;

C. storing at least one of said selected pulse trains in a computer; and

thereafter

D. generating a second electric pulse train by said person in the manner of step A; and

E. comparing the second pulse train to one or more of said stored, selected pulse trains for said verification.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said patterned background is a line code consisting of parallel dark lines separated by lighter lines or areas, and said reading device comprises an optical stylus for reading said line code.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the line code contains information specific for the person in question, for example the person'"'"'s birthdate registration number coded in the code, according to which the line code is arranged.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein there is a predetermined position, at which the person shall commence writing the signature.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the pulse trains include a length of one or several pulses in relation to the length of the pulse train or a portion of the pulse train length are characteristic values of said comparison.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein a duration of one or several pulses in relation to a duration of the entire pulse train or a portion thereof are characteristic values of said comparison.

7. A method of signature verification comprising:

A. generating a plurality of first electric pulse trains individual to a signature of a given person by said person repeatedly moving a reading device over a patterned background comprising dark and light portions, in the configuration of said signature;

B. comparing said first pulse trains and selecting similar ones of said first pulse trains;

C. partitioning said selected pulse trains to obtain select portions thereof;

D. storing at least one of said select portions in a computer; and

thereafter

E. generating a second electric pulse train by said person in the manner of step A;

F. partitioning said second pulse train to obtain at least one select second portion corresponding to said select portion; and

G. comparing said select second portion to said select portion for said verification.

8. A device for signature verification, with which a person is to move an object, for example a pencil, so that the point thereof describes a plane figure, for example a name signature, characterized in that it comprises a support (1), which is patterned, preferably patterned with a so-called line code, a reading pencil (4), which in a manner known per se is capable to emit an electric pulse train (3) when the pencil point is moved over alternatingly dark and light areas of the support, and a computer (5) with associated memory (6,8), which reading pencil (4) is capable to emit a pulse train (3) generated by the reading pencil (4) in that a person with the reading pencil writes his or her signature over the pattern (1), to the memory (6,8) of the computer (5), which computer (5) is capable to compare at least a portion of such a first pulse train stored in its memory (6,8) with at least a corresponding portion of a second pulse train, which is generated in that the person in question has written his or her signature by a reading pencil (4) over a pattern (1), which is identical with said firstmentioned pattern, and that said computer (5) is capable, when the comparison proves that the pulse trains (3) or portions thereof are to a predetermined degree identical, to indicate that it is regarded verified, that the signature written last has been written by the same person who has written the firstmentioned signature.

9. A device as defined in claim 8, characterized in that said computer (5) is capable to store pulse trains corresponding to a great number of signatures written by the same person and to compare these and thereby to select portions of pulse trains fed-in which to a predetermined degree are identical, and that the computer (5) is capable to store such selected portions and to compare the selected portions to corresponding portions of said second pulse train.

10. A device as defined in claim 8, characterized in that said support consists of a plane surface, to which a line code (1) consisting of parallel dark lines separated by lighter lines is applied.

11. A device as defined in claim 8, characterized in that the line code (1) is designed to contain information specific for the person in question, for example a birthdate registration number of the person coded in the code, according to which the line code (1) is arranged.

12. A device as defined in claim 8, characterized in that the support is provided with a starting point (14), which marks a point where a person shall commence writing his or her signature.